I’m Roman – a tow operator who will tell you honestly how things are from extensive experience working in the towing and roadside industry from both sides: private companies and AAA contracted dispatching. Throughout my time as a towing technician at Express Towing I have pulled all sorts of cars from Teslas with no charge to old vans with three wheels and a prayer. After towing over 5000 vehicles across Duluth, Norcross, Lawrenceville, Alpharetta, and beyond, I’ve learned one thing: choosing a good towing company matters more than you would think, for dozens of reasons.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Who should I call when my car breaks down on I‑85 or gets stuck behind North Point Mall?” — this guide is for you.
I wrote this guide to provide you with knowledge, differences and understanding of the Top 15 Reasons Why a Local Towing Company in Northeast Atlanta (like us) is your best bet over AAA in 2025 — with a little grit, data, and streetwise insight from someone who’s been on both sides of the hook.
1. Faster Response Times — We are Already There
AAA relies on various local subcontractors who operate at different expertise levels and sizes. Local tow operators like us already in the area and on the way to you. Our average time of arrival in Gwinnett County is 15–20 minutes. On more than a few occasions, we have beat AAA drivers to the punch by 50 minutes or more.
Did you know AAA only provides you a standard ETA via automated text, not real-time tracking of your driver, and no direct phone number. We witnessed countless times where drivers wait for 3-6 hours with only stress and hope on a side of the busy road.
2. After-Hours Reality: AAA Can Leave You Hanging
We frequently respond to stalled cars left hanging by AAA late at night. After 11 PM, getting a AAA truck in the suburbs of Atlanta is nearly impossible, besides that many private companies and AAA contractors are not willing to do interstate highway calls unless the cost is higher. I’ve personally picked up AAA members at 7 AM at gas stations (while working for AAA contractors) — who had no choice but to sleep in their cars overnight.
If you are calling Express Towing at 2 AM, we’re picking up. You won’t hear voicemail or excuses with us — just real people with a solid attitude – “get the job done”.
3. Real Care, Help & High Standards of Service
Independent companies thrive on building trust by providing exceptional quality of services. Our towing team cares about your urgent needs instead of your roadside membership. Our drivers follow precautionary and safety standards, especially during emergency situations. Local tow truck drivers are experienced and mature enough to provide great customer service for someone who is in stress, they are friendly and care for their local reputation, while AAA auto club employees rarely have that perception. This is why the majority of tow companies only hire drivers with substantial 2-3+ years of experience, while AAA is constantly hiring.
According to hundreds of AAA employee reports on Glassdoor and Indeed, only 47% would recommend AAA towing and roadside job to a friend, while also reporting low salaries, poor local and headquarter management, as well as being “bullied by directors and supervisors” – all while dealing with a lot of pressure on the road and one on one experience with frustrated AAA members. So, it puts AAA at a high turnover rate from employees as well as from independent subcontractors (as it significantly lowers the profit margins while pushing to prioritize those types of calls against better paying cash customers). All these reflect on the quality of the services. The lack of accountability together with no local pride and minimal motivation effects their ability to provide better service. In our case it is our community where we live. Our reputation is our business.
4. Who provides a better cost of towing: AAA or local tow company?
You must have heard many times “nothing is free” – that is absolutely true! AAA payment policy outlines additional costs as well as restrictions on the mileage that can be towed. Classic Membership members must pay an additional $7 per mile for tows exceeding five miles. So if your mechanic is 17 miles away it will cost additional $84 dollars on top of the classic membership cost ($79). In such cases the total expense turns out to be more than our standard rates because our company pricing is clear and reasonable. So AAA towing cost appears to be suitable only when you have plenty of time with no rush for towing, from home garage to the nearest repair shop. We provide complete breakdown of all costs before arriving at your pickup location.
5. Same-Day AAA Membership Isn’t What You Think
Many people believe they can get a AAA membership during emergencies to receive towing services right away. It happened to me personally many times when I arrived on the call dispatched by AAA and while verifying the membership – it appears to be expired. It instantly creates a negative experience for both – tow provider and AAA member, while extending wait time for customers to make a decision if they will extend their membership or go private route. The reality shows that same-day AAA service requires additional fees (usually at the cost of regular private call) while membership activation processes take between 24 to 48 hours. Therefore “free tow” ends up costing twice as much as one cash call.
6. Real-Time Updates vs Standard Texts
AAA provides you with an automated estimated time of arrival (ETA). That’s it. You cannot monitor your driver’s position on a map through the service. I have personally experienced a breakdown during my time as a AAA driver and needed to contact AAA customer service three times while the contractor company ignored five of my calls before receiving assistance after a 2 hours and 40 minute wait. On the other hand, Express Towing allows you to speak directly with your local dispatch and a driver for real-time updates that will guide you throughout the towing process.
7. Quality Tools, Clean Trucks, No Damage
We don’t cut corners as overlooking has a high cost on liability in towing business. Our flatbed tow trucks come with soft-strap tie downs, race ramps, snatch blocks, chain hooks and skates. Our company has successfully towed Teslas and Lamborghinis hundreds of times as our reputation matters — because it’s our name on the door.
AAA subcontractors lack full set of tools while also lacking a backup strategy or experience for complicated towing operations. We show up ready for anything.
8. Service Limitations & Restrictions
The subcontractors of AAA frequently perform only one task during each service call. Need a tire change and a tow? That’s two requests from your yearly membership (limited to 4). Need a tire filled and a battery checked? Sorry, but it is a common practice for contractors to ask you to make another call. Express Towing provides all necessary services during a single visit without requiring additional requests or causing delays.
Also, did you know that AAA policy generally requires cars to have active registration and tags to be eligible for towing. In fact, while working for a AAA subcontractor more than once I had to refuse the service because of this safety and liability concern.
9. Quality Partnerships With Local Auto Repair Services
Many members of AAA as well as private customers frequently ask for recommendations for a good mechanic or body repair post accident – we got it too! On a daily basis we work with only 5-star car mechanics and collision centers like:
- Glamour Auto Body (Norcross) – is a top-rated body shop in the area that regularly makes requests to transport cars to other facilities or customers.
- Johnson Automotive (Duluth) – our regular business client for towing needs and one of the best car repair service centers in Johns Creek (especially for Mercedes, Audi, BMW and other European makes).
- Official Dealerships on Satellite Blvd & North Point Pkwy. KIA Rick Case just recently called us to tow 25 cars from one of their lots to a new location – we nailed it within 3 hours and damage free service.
We know that AAA has its own network of repair centers with some savings offered at AAA Approved Auto Repair centers, especially with discounts on labor and parts. However, for many repairs, a local mechanic might offer a more affordable option, especially if you’re looking for personalized service and potentially lower labor rates.
10. Trusted by HOAs, Apartments & Police
When calling AAA for towing – should you expect simple conventional towing, but if you are in need of complex vehicle recovery – give us a call, because for us no job is too big or too small. Our company provides towing services for more than 100 private properties including:
- Townhomes at Timbergate, Story Farms Townhomes, Norcross Executive Center
- The police departments of Norcross and Duluth have contracted Express Towing to perform accident removals and road cleanup from hazardous materials.
- Our company handles challenging impounds that is beyond what standard AAA operators can handle.
11. We Handle the Heavy Stuff
Need two-car towing like from an auto auction straight to your auto repair shop? Forklifts and Bobcats? Flatbeds for oversized loads? No problem. Our company provides construction machinery hauling and operates wheel-lift/flatbed combinations to perform two-vehicle hauls. This option is definitely above AAA standards and limitations for commercial use.
12. Always Local, Always Reliable
AAA depends on geographic coverage and third-party availability. During peak times or in highly populated areas customers receive the notification “No trucks available.” We’re local. We answer the phone. And we don’t leave you hanging.
13. We Never Close — 24/7 Live Dispatch
The dispatchers together with our drivers maintain availability throughout day and night but AAA agents operate with traditional schedule. Our drivers remain available to provide assistance during snowstorms and throughout holiday mornings and while driving on isolated sections of I‑85.
14. Support Your Community
Local business selection enables you to support:
- Local families
- Local jobs
- Local investment
Our company supports local schools and fire departments while keeping Northeast Atlanta dollars within the community instead of sending them to corporate headquarters.
15. Insurance Companies That Outsource Tow Services May End Up Increasing Your Premium Costs Later On
Your insurance company may have its own network of towing and roadside assistance providers and they will send you a truck as a part of the insurance benefits, but you also may expect your auto insurance premiums to go up sooner or later to cover those B2B expenses. Also some insurance companies, like Progressive partner with AAA and send you a provider from their network, but nothing comes free for the final consumer.
To avoid rate hikes and get faster assistance with satisfaction guarantee for our high quality services – call local towing company directly, like Express Towing in Duluth and we will be on the way to tow your car or provide roadside assistance anywhere near Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Norcross, Lawrenceville, Buford, Suwanee, Cumming and beyond.